Wonky Optics

Wonky Optics is Geoff Cochrane’s fifteenth collection of poems. He is also the author of two novels and Astonished Dice: Collected Short Stories (2014). Geoff received an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate Award in 2014. In 2009 he was awarded the Janet Frame Prize for Poetry, and in 2010 the inaugural Nigel Cox Unity Books Award. ‘The Cochrane tone is one of the great pleasures in our literature—and somehow sweeter for appearing not to be part of that literature.’ —Damien Wilkins ‘Over the years, Cochrane’s work has been a joy to me, a solace, a proof that art can be made in New Zealand which shows us ourselves in new ways.’ —Pip Adam

Geoff Cochrane is a poet and fiction writer who was born in Wellington, NZ in 1951 and has lived there almost all his life. In 2009 he was awarded the Janet Frame Prize for Poetry and in 2010 the inaugural Nigel Cox Unity Books Award. His most recent book, Astonished Dice collects his two slim volumes of short stories, originally published in limited editions, the early novella ‘Quest Clinic’, and more recent stories. He has published several highly-regarded collections of poetry, includingAztec Noon: Poems 1976-1992 and Into India, Acetylene, Vanilla Wine,Hypnic Jerks and the novels Tin Nimbus, named a 1996 Commonwealth Best First Book Prize regional finalist, andBlood. His poems have also appeared in journals including Sport andPrintout and in several anthologies. His collection of poetry 84 484 was published by Victoria University Press in 2007 and reviewer Amy Brown said, "If you're already a Geoff Cochrane fan, his latest work will not be disappointing. Cochrane’s relaxed precision, stunning vocabulary and formidable concision are all happily present in84-484, a book full of memories, characters, Wellington, self-portraits and riddles" His most recent collections areThe Bengal Engine's Mango Afterglow (2012), The Worm in the Tequila (2010) and Pocket Edition was published in May 2009. His poem "Vanilla Wine" was chosen for the online collection Best New Zealand Poems 2003. His poem "Little Bits of Harry" was selected for Best New Zealand Poems 2004, while "Seven Unposted Postcards to My Brother" was named one of the Best New Zealand Poems 2005. Geoff's poem "Chemotherapy" was selected as one of 2007'sBest New Zealand Poems.